Stuart Nash

As a businessman and a politician, I firmly believe that only through being smarter than the competition will NZ achieve any sort of sustainable global competitive advantage. The simple reality is that we are a small economy a long way from major markets, therefore we need to be innovative in business in the same way we are on the sports field. This is a fantastic country, but until we get the fiscal settings right, we will struggle to maximise all opportunities around economic development.

As a family man, I know we need to provide a reason for our young, smart and globally-engaged people to make NZ home. As Sir Paul Callaghan said, we need to ensure NZ becomes ‘a place where talent wants to live’

The issues that matter to me:

Jobs, jobs and jobs: creating opportunity for the thousands of Kiwis who just want a fair go.

270,000 NZ kids in child poverty is the Nation’s shame. Govt policy can make a difference.

Refocusing healthcare around prevention as well as cure (2 in 3 adults are either overweight or obese; massive burden on the health system that will only get worse).

Putting more money in the pockets of the vast majority of hard working Kiwis who are struggling to make ends meet.

Equitable tax system: it makes no sense that different forms of investment are subject to different tax rules: no capital gains tax simply doesn’t make sense.

Education is the key: it provides opportunities where they otherwise wouldn’t exist. Equality of opportunity is what we must strive for.

I am involved in politics because I believe that I have the skills, experience and passion to really make a difference in helping come up with solutions to the issues I have outlined. There are no easy remedies, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t work incredibly hard to come up with the answers; because they do exist – but only under the Labour philosophy.

Oh, I am also extremely passionate about my hometown of Napier. The best city in a wonderful country and a fantastic place to bring up my family.

A tax amendment being snuck in under the radar allows changes to tax issues to be driven through by the Government without Parliamentary scrutiny, says Labour’s Revenue spokesman Stuart Nash.

“The amendment allows any part of the Tax Administration Act to be changed by Order in Council. In layman terms, the Government can change tax law without any consultation or without going through the parliamentary process.